News 2020: A statement in opposition to racism
A statement in opposition to racism

A message from David Gomes, Chief Diversity Officer and Title IX Coordinator, on Breonna Taylor

The events leading up to the death of Breonna Taylor, the recent decision in the grand jury proceeding, and the ensuing acts of civil unrest in Louisville, Kentucky and across the nation serve as a stark reminder that institutional and systemic racism and acts of violence targeting the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) community are ever-present.

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth is reaffirming its unequivocal abhorrence of and opposition to racism against the BIPOC community and discrimination in all its forms. We call upon all members of the University community, including students, faculty, staff, and administrators to denounce racism wherever it manifests.

As a community of educators and learners, we have a platform and moral obligation to do better – in promoting a genuinely inclusive campus environment, in our recruitment and retention efforts, in our educational programming and curricula, and in using our platform to help dismantle systemic racism which plagues our community, both locally and nationally, and has imposed disproportionate harm to the BIPOC community.

UMass Dartmouth values an environment that fosters a respect for differences and encourages inquiry into those differences with an aim to understand and appreciate the multitude of diverse cultures, perspectives, and experiences. As an institution, we must continue to honor the principles of equity, dignity, and civility in the furtherance of our goal of creating a welcoming, socially just, and inclusive home for our students, faculty and staff to live, learn, and thrive.

 

David Gomes

Chief Diversity Officer and Title IX Coordinator